January 2020 Volume 20 Issue 1 Crossing Borders Ministries — established 2001

Hold on to Hope!

CROSSING BORDERS NEWS

December in Delicias was a trailer full of

blessings through Crossing Borders

First of all, to everyone of you who’ve been checking in on a regular basis, thank you for walking with us through some difficult days. We apologize it has been four months since our last newsletter, and are grateful to know we have such faithful friends!

The latest events regarding Pastor Enrique & Nena Ornelas have occupied much of our time and energy. Despite efforts to keep them in the U.S. they were ordered to return to Mexico to await the decision on their appeal for asylum. That was on Dec. 4. We’re all still waiting and praying for approval from the Board of Immigration Appeal in Virginia.

We’re staying in contact with them by phone and text, supporting them in every way possible. Many have called to ask, so yes, we are still accepting monies on their behalf. It isn’t safe for them to find any kind of work, besides which we hold on to the hope that he will return as pastor of FBC Fabens.

While they wait for an answer in Mexico, Omar & Luly’s Lara have stepped in to help both CBM and our church. Turns out Pastor Enrique had asked this couple to pray and be available should he be deported. So when we asked them for help they said, “yes, we are ready.” They have multiple ministries throughout Mexico we’ve helped with through the years, yet even before we spoke to them they’d started rearranging their schedules to be ready to help. Now, they’re committed to partner with us for as long as necessary. They are an enormous blessing during such a stressful time!

Speaking of huge blessings, a very special thank you to everyone who made and brought boxes to us! Whether you sent 10 or 1000, every box had a child waiting for it! All together, 3000 shoeboxes came in and were sorted for 49 locations to match the requests from pastors in Mexico. They came from all over Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma and went from 7 miles away in Caseta to 700 miles away in Durango!

We’re equally grateful for the groups who came to help with all the sorting and staging that was needed to process all those boxes. For some it was a long work day, for others they gave us a weekend, still others gave us a whole week! The Lord bless you all! We couldn’t have done it without y’all!

January has been a flurry of business for the Ornelas family, the church, and of course CBM. Contribution statements have all been mailed out and the Christmas DVD that is sent to all the participating partners went out as well. We can’t say it enough, together we ARE making a difference! We are here on the front lines but we couldn’t do everything we’ve done without your prayers and financial support. Our accomplishments are yours as well. God bless you!

Through these past months, one scripture kept us moving forward. Romans 5:3-5 says, “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know the suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. “

Beans, Rice and Blankets

Tons of New Clothes, Jackets & Shoes

Ministry & Medical Supplies

CBM IS A MINISTRY OF HELPS, CROSSING “BORDERS” OF DESPAIR & DIFFERENCES TO SUPPORT, ENCOURAGE, & RELEASE FAITH IN THE NEEDY & LESS FORTUNATE

ISSUES OF CROSSING BORDERS NEWS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER “NEWSLETTERS”

Crossing Borders Ministries PO Box 35 ∙ Fabens, Texas 79838

Phone: 915-491-7528 E-mail: crossingborder@aol.com

Website: crossingbordersministries.com

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support of this ministry!

CBM is God’s commission to missionaries Elfi Register and Joan Wilson - to support, encourage, and release faith in the needy and less fortunate. CBM operates out of First Baptist Church of Fabens. Donations made through FBC Fabens are tax deductible, so please

make your check payable to: Fabens First Baptist Church Include a note to specify your gift for missionary

support of Elfi and/or Joan or for CBM’s General Fund

Elfi & Joan are Mission Service Corps missionaries out of FBC Fabens. MSC is part of the North American Mission Board. These missionaries raise their own finances.

Prayer for the Pastors in Mexico

We’ve spoken a lot about needing prayer for our Pastor Enrique, but

all the pastors & mission leaders we work with need prayer cover

every week. Please remember them as you pray.

Here are their names and where they serve.

Enrique & Elena Ornelas, FBC Fabens (still waiting in MX)

Eduardo & Margarita Guzmán, Iglesia Bautista Cristo Redentor

Eliseo & Tabitha Peña, area missions of Cristo Redentor

Nieves & Griselda Mares, Iglesia Bautista Mt. Sinai

Jose Cruz Rodriguez, Iglesia Bautista Dios Es Amor

Pedro & Laura Rodriguez, Dios Es Amor & area missions

Luis & Mrs. Garcia, Iglesia Bautista El Penuel

Eugenio & Isabel Guerrero, Mision Gerizim & Choquita

Gabriela Tarango, Centro Familiar Cristiano

David Lopez, Iglesia Bautista La Trinidad

Omar & Lourdes Lara, Misión Anapra, Misión Etapa, Delicias

Tomas & Adriana Mijares, Iglesia Bautista Sol de Justicia

Patrocinio & Evie Ambrocio, Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva

Luis & Mrs. Pisté, Iglesia Oasis de Amor

Pablo & Sara Gonzalez, Iglesia Bautista Antioquia & Comedor BAN

Lucio & Rosa Ontiveros, Templo Agua Viva

Antonio & Eva Perea, Iglesia Bautista Dios Con Nosotros

Raymundo & SanJuana Rodriguez, Iglesia Esmirna

Isidoro & Mrs. Villela, Templo Elim

Ramon Lara, Comedor Senderos del Sol

Ismael & Mrs. Chavez, Templo Buen Pastor (Elder Care Ministry)

Mr. & Mrs. Filomono Almanza, Clint community elder care

Big Blessings in Little Bundles

In late September we received a remarkable donation of grass fed beef from a family of New Mexico cattle ranchers. They’d been praying for God to show them a way to feed people in need with the quality beef they raise. Mom had taken their kids to Summer VBS in Mayhill, NM and they came back talking to their parents about how the VBS was collecting school supplies for Mexico. That prompted looking at our web page and reading about all the ministries of Crossing Borders.

Next came an email telling us about their desire to find a ministry they could work with that would help them connect to people in need. After a few emails and phone conversations, we arranged for them to come “spy out the land” and make plans for future ministry together. (“Oh, and can we buy you a new freezer for the beef?”)

Once they had their beef processed, they came down in a horse trailer with the new freezer, frozen packages of hamburger, roast, and steak PLUS they cooked steaks for all the pastors & volunteers, serving everyone a chuckwagon meal with all the fixin’s, including dessert!

They’ve made three deliveries to date, and the kids in Mexico tell their pastors that they LOVE the meat and ask for it all the time!!! In the ups and downs of ministry, it’s so wonderful to be joined by those who have the same heart of compassion for the “least of these.”